Crafting a Compelling Book Summary

Summarizing a novel always feels tough for me. Maybe I’m too close to the content and want too many details in the summary. Maybe I don’t know what really engages potential readers to attract their interest. Now that I’ve finished polishing my first draft of Technomancer, I need to come up with a punchy summary that will make readers want to buy the book. This post will cover these attempts.

First Pass:

The first teaser I drafted was simple, straight forward, and utterly un-engaging (even to me):

Sinister forces have captured Elara in her magical realm and forced her out into a world of strange technology. Finn, an engineer in that world is fighting his own shadow-battle against the surveillance regime he once helped build. Together, they face overwhelming odds to fight for justice.

At least the teaser is short, under 300 characters and about 50 words, but I don’t think it really tells much about why readers would want to download a sample and eventually read the novel. Time to try again.

Second Attempt

Elara, a young priestess of the Moon Goddess, is captured, cursed, and transported to a technologically advanced world to search for a person of power. Thrown together with Finn, a brilliant but reclusive engineer, she joins him to expose the corrupt forces exploiting technology for gain and bring about justice. A thrilling tale of intrigue, magic, technology, and self-discovery.

This isn’t bad. It stays under 400 characters (60 words), and makes some promises about the story that should appeal to readers. It may be a good enough summary, but I don’t think it really covers the breadth of the story. I want a few more details to engage readers, so will give it one more go.

Third Time

Immerse yourself in a world where ancient magic collides with cutting-edge technology.

In a realm where magic, balance and caring reign supreme, a young priestess named Elara is ripped from her sacred duties and transported to a strange, technology filled land. Her connection to the Moon Goddess – the source of her power and guidance – is shattered by a dark and powerful spell, leaving her vulnerable to the whims of an evil magician.

As Elara navigates this unfamiliar world, she must confront the sinister forces that seek to control her every move. But she’s not alone. Finn, a brilliant and enigmatic engineer, joins her quest, bringing his expertise in the fight against
corrupt forces that exploit technology for their own gain.

Together, they embark on a heart-pumping adventure to expose the truth and bring justice to a world on the brink of chaos. With the spell whispering dark instructions in her mind, Elara must confront the shadows within herself and decide where her true loyalties lie. Will she find the strength to overcome the magician’s control and forge her own path, or will she become a pawn in a larger game of power and deception?

Dive into this electrifying tale of magic, technology, and self-discovery, where the boundaries between good and evil are tested, and the true meaning of courage and loyalty is revealed. Join Elara and Finn on their perilous quest to reclaim their world and uncover the secrets that will change everything.

This is obviously quite a bit longer (250 words), but I think it also does a better job of focusing on one of the main characters and introduces several of the conflicts that are involved in her journey.

I’ve shared the opening chapters of Technomancer in prior posts. I’ll be opening up a beta reader process soon for people who have subscribed to my blog. The beta reader process will include free access to the completed book in trade for specific feedback on the story. What do you think? Leave a comment and subscribe if you are interested in signing up as a beta reader. Stay tuned to learn more!

Follow me on Amazon, GoodReads, or Facebook to get information about upcoming book releases.